VARIABLES AFFECTING PSYCHIATRISTS' AND TEACHERS' ASSESSMENTS OF THE DANGEROUSNESS OF MENTALLY ILL OFFENDERS

• NCJ Number: 57703
• Journal: Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Volume: 47 Issue: 2, Dated: (APRIL 1979) Pages: 353-362
• Author(s): V L QUINSEY; R AMBTMAN
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: American Psychological Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO DETERMINE PSYCHIATRIC EXPERTISE IN THE PREDICTION OF DANGEROUSNESS OF MENTALLY ILL OFFENDERS.

Abstract

THE STUDY ATTEMPTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER PSYCHIATRISTS' ASSESSMENTS MET FOUR CRITERIA FOR EXPERT JUDGEMENT: (1) AGREEMENT AMONG THEMSELVES, (2) ACCURACY IN THEIR JUDGEMENTS, (3) DIFFERENTIAL JUDGEMENTS FROM LAYPERSONS, (4) USE OF SPECIALIZED PROCEDURES TO ARRIVE AT DECISIONS. NINE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AND 4 FORENSIC PSYCHIATRISTS RATED THE PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENTS, HISTORIES, AND OFFENSE DESCRIPTIONS OF 9 CHILD MOLESTERS, 10 PROPERTY OFFENDERS, AND 11 SERIOUS OFFENDERS AGAINST ADULTS. THE THREE TYPES OF PATIENT DATA WERE RATED SEPARATELY AND TOGETHER ON THE LIKELIHOOD OF A PROPERTY OFFENSE, THE LIKELIHOOD OF AN ASSAULTIVE OFFENSE, AND THE SERIOUSNESS OF AN ASSAULT SHOULD ONE OCCUR, IF THESE MALE PATIENTS WERE TO BE RELEASED FROM A MAXIMUM SECURITY MENTAL HOSPITAL. RATERS ALSO JUDGED WHETHER THE PATIENTS SHOULD BE RELEASED. RESULTS INDICATE THAT THE EXPERTS DID NOT TEND TO AGREE AMONG THEMSELVES (THE HIGHEST AVERAGE INTERRATER CORRELATION WAS .482 WHERE THEY PREDICTED THE LIKELIHOOD OF A PROPERTY OFFENSE), THAT THE ACCURACY OF THEIR JUDGEMENT WAS LOW, AND THAT THE PSYCHIATRISTS DID NOT MAKE DIFFERENT JUDGEMENTS FROM LAYPERSONS (THE CORRELATIONS AMONG THE AVERAGE TEACHER AND PSYCHIATRIST RATINGS INDICATE THAT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ASSESSMENT DATA RATINGS WHEN PREDICTING THE LIKELIHOOD OF A PROPERTY OFFENSE, RATINGS OF BOTH GROUPS WERE THEY SIMILAR). FINALLY, THE CRITERION THAT PSYCHIATRISTS EMPLOY SPECIALIZED ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES WAS NOT FULFILLED. IN SUMMARY, THESE DATA INDICATE THAT NONE OF THE FOUR CRITERIA FOR EXPERT JUDGEMENT WAS MET, AND, THUS THE EXPERTISE OF PSYCHIATRISTS AS WELL AS THE USEFULNESS OF PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENT DATA IN THE PREDICTION OF DANGEROUSNESS IS SERIOUSLY QUESTIONED. TABLES, GRAPHS, AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (STB)